Applying to university can feel like a high stakes game, and that’s fair – it’s your future, right?
It’s now application time and you’re concerned you may not meet all the entry requirements to get into your chosen program in engineering or computing at UQ. Whether you’re concerned about your ATAR or meeting subject prerequisite, don’t stress. We can still help you get where you want to be.
The path to your dream program isn't always a straight line. But that's okay – there's more than one road to your chosen destination. Let's explore 3 scenarios to help you understand your pathway options to a program in engineering and computing.
1. No ATAR? No problem!
Meet Alex, a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Computer Science student. Alex didn't follow the traditional school route – he was homeschooled from the age of 6. For Alex, this educational journey allowed him to explore a wide range of subjects, from music to robotics. Alex’s knack for problem solving and love for Lego Mindstorms eventually led him to pursue a dual degree at UQ.
But here's the twist – Alex didn't have an ATAR. So, how did he make it into his dream program?
“My mum did a lot of research and found that UQ accepted the SAT exam results as an equivalent ATAR,” he says.
“So, I sat that exam and got the mark that I needed to get the ATAR required for UQ engineering.”
Another option open to students who want to apply to UQ but don’t have an ATAR is to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), which is a multiple-choice test that can be used to:
- meet an English subject prerequisite
- meet a General Mathematics subject prerequisite
- gain a selection rank.
This is one of the pathway options available at UQ to help you on your way. Alex’s story proves that even without an ATAR, university is still possible.
At UQ, you will gain entry into a program with a selection rank. A selection rank is a number between 30 and 99.95. For high school leavers, your selection rank is your ATAR + adjustments. For non-high school leavers or those who did not qualify for an ATAR, a selection rank is derived from prior academic qualifications (such as the STAT). The use of selection ranks allows applicants with different qualifications to be assessed and compared against each other for entry to a particular program.
2. ATAR not high enough?
You've always known your passion, planned your senior subjects carefully and met all the prerequisites for your chosen program, but when you receive your ATAR, it isn’t quite what you need. This was the case for Norman, a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Master of Engineering student.
I always knew that I wanted to study engineering and come to UQ, however, when I received my ATAR, it wasn’t what I needed.
“I accepted a place in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and after completing a year of study and obtaining the required GPA, I was able to transfer to the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Master of Engineering.”
The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Master of Engineering is a 5-year vertical dual degree that allows students to graduate with both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. It helps graduates gain a competitive edge in the job market and develop research skills and specialist knowledge within engineering.
There are many students who choose this type of pathway to university: a tertiary studies pathway. It’s a popular pathway for those whose ATAR falls a bit shorter than what they needed to get into their preferred program. A tertiary studies pathway works just how Norman described it:
- You apply to a program that will accept your ATAR and study it for a year.
- You then apply to transfer into your preferred program (the one that required a higher ATAR) using your grade point average (GPA – the average of your overall university grades) rather than your ATAR.
- You see if you can get credit for any of the courses you studied in your pathway program, towards your preferred program.
Take UQ’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) as an example, which requires an ATAR of around 84*. If you didn’t quite receive this result, you could instead enrol in the Bachelor of Science at UQ, which only needs an ATAR of around 80*. You can complete many of the first-year engineering courses as part of the Bachelor of Science. At the end of your first year, if you have a high enough GPA, you can apply through QTAC to transfer into the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).
*Based on the lowest adjusted scores we made an offer to in Semester 1, 2024.
You should always seek academic advice on your course selection to maximise the credit towards the new program.
While the tertiary studies pathway is a great way to get into your preferred program if you didn’t get the ATAR you needed, there are other options. Find out more about undertaking a bridging program or sitting the STAT to boost your selection rank for entry into a UQ program.
3. Missing prerequisites?
Sometimes it takes a bit longer to discover your true passion, and this can mean that you may not have planned your high school subjects to align with a university program you’re interested in studying.
All undergraduate programs at UQ have subject prerequisites. If you didn't study the high school subjects needed to gain entry into your desired engineering and computing program at UQ don't worry; there are still pathway options available to you.
For those missing specific prerequisites such as Mathematical Methods, Physics or Chemistry, UQ College offers four-week intensive bridging courses. These courses can help you get up to speed and satisfy prerequisite subjects for your chosen program.
Alternatively, you can look for TAFE courses that also meet prerequisite entry requirements, like what Alex did.
To satisfy the prerequisites, I took 2 TAFE courses for Mathematical Methods and Chemistry.
You could also enrol in an alternative university program (one with prerequisites that align with the subjects you took in high school) and receive academic advice to select the right courses that will get you into your preferred program. Once you have completed the prerequisite courses, you can transition into your preferred program in your second year.
Find out more about how to meet subject prerequisites for undergraduate study.
Got more questions?
If you're ever unsure about which path is right for you to get into an engineering or computing degree at UQ, get in touch with our friendly Future Students Contact Centre to gain some clarity and assistance. You can also join our ATAR Advice event, which is held the Sunday after ATARs are released in December.
Remember, choosing your educational path is a significant decision, and it's okay if your journey takes a few twists and turns. Rest assured, there are many options available to students interested in studying engineering and computing, and a range of alternative pathways into your desired program at UQ.
Discover the ATAR/selection rank needed to apply to UQ’s engineering programs and computer science and IT programs.
